Quick release holder

ABSTRACT

An easily fabricated quick release holder for handled objects such as brooms, mops, garden tools, and the like. The object is gripped between a fixed planar gripping element and a roller gripping element that moves angularly to the fixed element (through the force of gravity). The gripping surfaces of both the fixed and moveable elements are resilient elastomers, having oppositely directed serrations, for additional gripping action.

United States Patent Bowen June 27, 1972 [54] QUICK RELEASE HOLDER 1,366,324 1/1921 Newquist..... ...24/249 120,818 11/1871 lsham .24/244 1,081,381 12/1913 Hakes .....24/249 Primary Examiner-Chancellor E. Harris Attorney-H. H. Bradley, ll

[57] ABSTRACT An easily fabricated quick release holder for handled objects such as brooms, mops, garden tools, and the like. The object is gripped between a fixed planar gripping element and a roller gripping element that moves angularly to the fixed element (through the force of gravity). The gripping surfaces of both the fixed and moveable elements are resilient elastomers, having oppositely directed serrations, for additional gripping action.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJum m2 INVENTOR. Elba W. Bowen ATTORNEY.

QUICK RELEASE HOLDER The present invention relates generally to gravity operated quick release holders for elongate objects and more particularly to a holder of this type for the support of brooms, mops, garden tools, fishing rods, and the like objects. Elongate objects of other than circular cross section may similarly be supported thereby.

Heretofore the holders of the prior art have several deficiencies. Principally, they necessitate the fabrication of either a large number of components or parts requiring several forming operations. As a result, satisfactory holders have been generally expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the prior art devices have generally been constructed with a limited application in mind. Structures that will satisfactorily support a broom or other relatively light object but will not satisfactorily support relatively heavy objects, such as some garden tools or even alarge mop when saturated with water.

Therefore it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a universal holder adaptable to the supporting of many types of objects, and whereby the holder may be fabricated easily on a large scale with a small number of fabrication steps. The solution to this and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon a consideration of the following detailed description.

Briefly the present invention may be described as a shallow U-shaped channel member, adapted for horizontal attachment to a wall or the like, to provide a face surface spaced apart from the wall by the legs thereof and upon which is positioned one or more support stations for elongate objects. Each supportstation consists of a vertically oriented planar abutment and a coacting roller element supported on captive shaft which, in turn, projects vertically from the face of the channel and moves in a slot in the face of the channel so as to move the roller closer to the abutment as the shaft moves downwardly in the slot. The surface of roller and the confronting surface of the abutment are resilient so as to better grasp an elongate object therebetween aided by the weight of the elongate object.

The present invention is illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial front view of a holder for a variety of articles according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the holder taken at AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the holder taken at B-B of FIG. 1;

FIG; 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the holder taken at C-C of FIG. 1, illustrating one embodiment of the roller element;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view, similar to FIG. 4 illustrating asecond embodiment of the roller element of the holder; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of still another embodiment of this portion of the holder.

Referring now more specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, a U shaped channel member 10 is oriented so as to provide a forward face 11 with rearwardly extending sides 12, 13, the edges of which contact a supporting wall 14 or like surface. The channel member 10 is adapted for horizontal attachment on the wall 14 as with screws (not shown) mounted through holes 15 in face 11. Illustrated in FIG. 1 are two object support stations; however, more or less stations may be provided on the channel member 10. Each station is formed by identical mem bers. A planar vertically oriented abutment 16 projects perpendicularly from face 11. This abutment 16 may be a separate element attached to the face 11, but preferably is formed by cutting through the face 11 as at 17 and bending a portion of face 11 to thereby produce the abutment. One planar surface of the abutment 16 is covered with a pad 18 of resilient elastomer of a type described hereinafter. This may be more clearly seen in FIG. 3.

The face 11 is provided with an elongated slot 19 therethrough which is oriented at, for example, 20 with respect to the padded surface of abutment 16. This angle may range between about 10 and 45. The lower portion of slot 19 is closer to the abutment 16 than is the top. The length of slot 19 is approximately the same as the vertical height of abutment 16.

A roller element 20 which may be formed entirely from the same material as pad 18, as shown, or may be coated therewith, is mounted on a shaft 21 projecting perpendicularly from face 11. This shaft is supported and slidable in slot 19 in a manner described below. The diameter of the roller 20, and the spacing between the bottom of the slot 19 and the abutment 16 are mutually selected so as to grasp an elongate ob ject of smallest desired cross section when the roller 20 and shaft 21 are at their lowest position with respect to slot 19.

One embodiment for supporting shaft 21, with the encircling roller 20, within slot 19 is illustrated in FIG. 4. Shaft 21 is provided with an integral head 23 at one end to retain the roller 20, and at the other end with a central recess 24. The shaft 21 passes through slot 19 in face 11 with a first annular spacer, such as washer 25, placed between roller 20 and the outer surface of face 11. A second annular washer 26, disposed against the recessed end of the shaft 21 is held in place by a rivet 27 fitted into recess 24. Sufficient spacing between surfaces of roller 20, washer 25, face 11 and washer 26 is provided to permit easy movement of shaft 21 along slot 19 without permitting shaft 21 to deviate substantially from a perpendicular orientation to face 11. In this manner, no other support is required for roller 20.

A second embodiment of roller support is illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein the shaft 21 is provided with a transverse hole 28 near the unheaded end. As in FIG. 4, a washer 25 is placed between roller 20 and the outer surface of face 11. A second shaft encircling washer 29 is held in proximity of the back of face 1 1 by a pin 30, such as a roll pin, inserted in hole 28. As above, some looseness is provided to permit free movement of shaft 21 along slot 19.

Still another embodiment of the roller mounting means is illustrated in FIG. 6. This is generally similar to that of FIG. 5 except an annular groove 31 isprovided about shaft 21 near the unheaded end behind face 1 1 and a split ring 32 inserted in this groove 31 holds washer 29 in close proximity to the rear of face 11 with the same spacing as hereinabove described. In this and the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the washer 29 and washer 27 have sufficient outer diameters to prevent escape through the slot 19.

As aforementioned, abutment 16 has a pad 18 attached thereto of a resilient elastomer and the roller 20 is either formed from the elastomer or coated therewith. These surfaces are important for the holding of an object 22 therebetween. Of particular value in. this application is a 40-45 durameter rubber, either natural or synthetic, with a serrated surface, for example, butylrubber. The serrations are preferably oriented in opposite directions with those on pad 18 in a vertical direction and those on the roller 20 being parallel to the axis of shaft 21, as illustrated. This orientation assists in the gripping of an object 22 by these surfaces.

The operation of the present invention, while evident from the foregoing detailed description, is as follows. Normally, the weight of the roller 20 and its shaft and attachments causes the roller to assume a position with the shaft 21 at the bottom of slot 19. When an object 22, such as a broom handle, is to be held in a support station, the object 22 is inserted between the roller 20 and padded abutment 16 and this insertion moves the shaft 21 upward in slot 19 so as to accommodate the object between the gripping surfaces. Thereafter, the weight of the object causes a wedging action to securely grip the object. As mentioned above, the substance of the gripping surfaces and the serrated surfaces assists in the gripping action. This permits use of the holder for a variety of objects that vary substantially in weight and cross section.

In addition to the improved gripping surfaces, the present invention provides several advantages. In particular, the unit may be easily fabricated. The channel member 10, the slots 19, and abutments 16 of any desired number, are easily stamped from sheet metal, for example, 16 gauge steel, aluminum or like materials. The roller 20 is easily mass-produced and the pad 18 is easily stamped or otherwise cut from bulk sheet material. The shafts are commercial items which are easily formed to attach the selected securing means, particularly of the types shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Furthermore, these components of the roller mounting are easily disassembled for replacement of any part thereof.

1 claim:

1. in a quick release holder comprising a base member, a fixed vertical gripping means projecting perpendicularly from said base member, a moveable gripping means supported from said base member for movement toward and away from said fixed gripping means in a direction inclined to the fixed means so as to produce a gripping force upon an object placed between said fixed and moveable gripping means, said moveable gripping means comprising a projecting shaft passing through a slot in said base member, said shaft having one end headed and the other end unheaded, a cylindrical resilient elastomer roller encircling a portion of said shaft with one side of said roller in contact with the head of said shaft; a first annular spacer encircling said shaft and spaced between the opposite side of said roller and said base member, and locking means on the unheaded end of said shaft behind said base member to prevent the escape of said shaft from said slot but permit movement of said shaft along said slot; the improvement comprising said shaft locking means having an annular spacer having a diameter greater than the width of said slot and a rivet inserted through said washer into the unheaded end of said shaft.

2. The shaft locking means of claim 1 which comprises a second annular spacer encircling said shaft near the unheaded end thereof, said second annular spacer having an outer diameter greater than the width of said slot, and a spacer retaining pin passing transversely through said unheaded end of said shaft.

3. The shaft locking means of claim 1 comprising a second annular spacer encircling said shaft near the unheaded end thereof, said second annular spacer having an outer diameter greater than the width of said slot, and a spacer retaining ring engaging an annular groove near the unheaded end of said shaft. 

1. In a quick release holder comprising a base member, a fixed vertical gripping means projecting perpendicularly from said base member, a moveable gripping means supported from said base member for movement toward and away from said fixed gripping means in a direction inclined to the fixed means so as to produce a gripping force upon an object placed between said fixed and moveable gripping means, said moveable gripping means comprising a projecting shaft passing through a slot in said base member, said shaft having one end headed and the other end unheaded, a cylindrical resilient elastomer roller encircling a portion of said shaft with one side of said roller in contact with the head of said shaft; a first annular spacer encircling said shaft and spaced between the opposite side of said roller and said base member, and locking means on the unheaded end of said shaft behind said base member to prevent the escape of said shaft from said slot but permit movement of said shaft along said slot; the improvement comprising said shaft locking means having an annular spacer having a diameter greater than the width of said slot and a rivet inserted through said washer into the unheaded end of said shaft.
 2. The shaft locking means of claim 1 which comprises a second annular spacer encircling said shaft near the unheaded end thereof, said second annular spacer having an outer diameter greater than the width of said slot, and a spacer retaining pin passing transversely through said unheaded end of said shaft.
 3. The shaft locking means of claim 1 comprising a second annular spacer encircling said shaft near the unheaded end thereof, said second annular spacer having an outer diameter greater than the width of said slot, and a spacer retaining ring engaging an annular groove near the unheaded end of said shaft. 